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Nautical Know How
  • Our Courses

      All our courses are engaging, interactive and fun! Whether formal training or simply looking to brush up, we take online learning to the next level.

      • Sailing EssentialsFreeA free course great for anyone who spends time on the water.
      • Essential Navigation & SeamanshipRYA course for beginners. Learn charts, tides, pilotage, and core seamanship with simple practice tasks.
      • Day Skipper TheoryMost PopularRYA course for inshore skippers. Plan day passages using chartwork, tides, weather, and COLREGs.
      • Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster® TheoryComing SoonRYA course for advanced navigation and passage planning. Work with secondary ports, tidal streams, and offshore weather.
      • SRC (VHF) Marine Radio CourseRYA Short Range Certificate radio course. Study online, then take the practical exam with an RYA assessor.
  • Directory

      Are you looking for something nautical related? Our directory is an extensive list of courses and places associated with the marine industry. Hop over and search now.

      • Places
        Find anywhere nautical, including marinas & training centres. If it exists, we’ve got it listed!
      • Courses
        We help you navigate through the complex world of training and help find what’s best for you.
  • Know-How

      We believe every day’s a school day on a boat! That’s why we built Nautical Know-How, dedicated to answering your questions. Even better, if it can’t answer your question immediately, you can request it, and we’ll add it to our knowledge base.

      • Nautical Terms & Terminology
        Understanding the language of the marine world is like trying to learn a pirate’s secret code while juggling fish. Let us explain why a sheet isn’t for your bed, why “heave ho” doesn’t mean throw up (most of the time), and why “dead reckoning” is surprisingly less ominous than it sounds.
      • Why do we have tides?
        Have you ever wondered what causes the tides? Check out this video, which introduces the forces that create the tides we experience on Earth.
      • What causes our weather?
        A video introducing the drivers behind our weather, part of our RYA Day Skipper & RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster® Offshore theory courses.
      • Buoyage Flashcards
        Flashcards designed to help remember the buoys in the IALA system. If you want to learn them in detail, our module ‘Getting in and out of harbour‘, covers the IALA system and different buoys used.
      • Interactive Rule Book (COLREGs / IRPCS)
        Whether you’re a novice sailor or a seasoned skipper, we can help you navigate the IRPCS confidently and clearly. Our easy-to-use, easy-to-understand, plain English rule book with helpful interpretations of what each rule means.
      • The Salty Sea Blog
        From salty old sea dogs to fresh-faced deckhands, this blog is for anyone who finds peace, adventure, and a bit of mischief on the water. So hoist the main, set your course, and let’s sail into the stories, lessons, and musings that make life on the sea so irresistible.
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Nautical Know How
  • Our Courses

      All our courses are engaging, interactive and fun! Whether formal training or simply looking to brush up, we take online learning to the next level.

      • Sailing EssentialsFreeA free course great for anyone who spends time on the water.
      • Essential Navigation & SeamanshipRYA course for beginners. Learn charts, tides, pilotage, and core seamanship with simple practice tasks.
      • Day Skipper TheoryMost PopularRYA course for inshore skippers. Plan day passages using chartwork, tides, weather, and COLREGs.
      • Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster® TheoryComing SoonRYA course for advanced navigation and passage planning. Work with secondary ports, tidal streams, and offshore weather.
      • SRC (VHF) Marine Radio CourseRYA Short Range Certificate radio course. Study online, then take the practical exam with an RYA assessor.
  • Directory

      Are you looking for something nautical related? Our directory is an extensive list of courses and places associated with the marine industry. Hop over and search now.

      • Places
        Find anywhere nautical, including marinas & training centres. If it exists, we’ve got it listed!
      • Courses
        We help you navigate through the complex world of training and help find what’s best for you.
  • Know-How

      We believe every day’s a school day on a boat! That’s why we built Nautical Know-How, dedicated to answering your questions. Even better, if it can’t answer your question immediately, you can request it, and we’ll add it to our knowledge base.

      • Nautical Terms & Terminology
        Understanding the language of the marine world is like trying to learn a pirate’s secret code while juggling fish. Let us explain why a sheet isn’t for your bed, why “heave ho” doesn’t mean throw up (most of the time), and why “dead reckoning” is surprisingly less ominous than it sounds.
      • Why do we have tides?
        Have you ever wondered what causes the tides? Check out this video, which introduces the forces that create the tides we experience on Earth.
      • What causes our weather?
        A video introducing the drivers behind our weather, part of our RYA Day Skipper & RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster® Offshore theory courses.
      • Buoyage Flashcards
        Flashcards designed to help remember the buoys in the IALA system. If you want to learn them in detail, our module ‘Getting in and out of harbour‘, covers the IALA system and different buoys used.
      • Interactive Rule Book (COLREGs / IRPCS)
        Whether you’re a novice sailor or a seasoned skipper, we can help you navigate the IRPCS confidently and clearly. Our easy-to-use, easy-to-understand, plain English rule book with helpful interpretations of what each rule means.
      • The Salty Sea Blog
        From salty old sea dogs to fresh-faced deckhands, this blog is for anyone who finds peace, adventure, and a bit of mischief on the water. So hoist the main, set your course, and let’s sail into the stories, lessons, and musings that make life on the sea so irresistible.
  • Chandlery
Sign In Join now—it’s Free

Glossary

AJAX progress indicator
Nautical chart abbreviations are like the secret code of the seas—except instead of buried treasure, they lead to rocks, buoys, and mysterious dashed lines that scream, 'Don’t sail here.' Learning them can feel like cracking a pirate’s encrypted diary, but don’t worry, matey! With clever tools, quirky mnemonics, and a splash of humour, we’ll help you go from 'What’s "FOUL" mean? to confidently navigating the “Wk” wrecks and “Fl G” flashes like a salty sea captain. Think of it as Rosetta Stone, but for avoiding sandbanks!
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Results: 65
  • Term
    Definition
  • General Nautical Terminology Baby StayAn inner forestay
  • General Nautical Terminology Back

    Back (backing) describes the wind’s change in direction when it shifts counterclockwise (anti-clockwise). For example, if the wind shifts from...

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  • General Nautical Terminology Back

    To back a sail means to adjust it so that the wind blows on the opposite side from normal, causing the sail to push the boat in the opposite...

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  • General Nautical Terminology Back StayThe backstay runs from the top of the mast to the stern of the vessel. The backstay supports the mast and in some cases can be adjusted to change... More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology BailTo remove water from the bilges or cockpit
  • General Nautical Terminology BailerA utensil used to bail water out of a boat
  • General Nautical Terminology, Weather (Meteorology) Bailey

    Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Lies off northern Scotland near Bill Bailey’s Bank and the Orkney Islands.

    Named for Bill Bailey’s...

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  • General Nautical Terminology Ball

    A spherical shape or object used as a day signal to indicate a vessel's status or condition, such as being anchored or aground.

    In maritime...

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  • General Nautical Terminology BallastAdditional weight placed low in the hull to improve stability
  • General Nautical Terminology BarA shallow area (shoal) close by a river mouth or harbour entrance or A measure of barometric pressure usually noted as 1000 millibars
  • General Nautical Terminology Barber Hauler

    A line or tackle system used to adjust the angle of a jib or genoa sheet to optimise sail shape and performance, particularly when sailing off...

    More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology Bare PolesNo sails are set and boat is driven by the force of the wind on the spars and rigging
  • Courses, RYA Basic Sea Survival CertificateThe Basic Sea Survival Certificate course teaches life-saving techniques for emergencies at sea. Participants learn how to use life rafts, don... More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology Bathing Platform

    A bathing platform is a purpose-built area that sits at water level when the vessel is stopped. It allows easy access to and from the water. It...

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  • General Nautical Terminology Batten

    A thin, flat strip of wood, plastic, or fibreglass inserted into a sail to help maintain its shape and improve performance

    A batten is an...

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  • General Nautical Terminology Batten Pocket

    A reinforced sleeve sewn into a sail to hold a batten, which helps maintain the sail's shape.

    A batten pocket is an essential feature of many...

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  • Flag / Pennant, Signals & Communication Code Flag Bravo (B)

    The International Maritime Signal Flag Bravo.

    Meaning

    I am taking in or discharging or carrying dangerous goods.

  • General Nautical Terminology BeachTo run a vessel ashore deliberately
  • General Nautical Terminology Beacon

    A fixed or floating signal, often a light or radio transmitter, used to guide mariners or mark hazards in navigable waters.

    A beacon is an...

    More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology, Parts of a Boat Beam


    The widest part of a vessel, measured at its broadest point across the hull.

    The term beam is a fundamental concept in nautical terminology,...

    More Details
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